Memories Paraiso: great family vacation spot

it was clean and everyone had smile on their face all the time. felt good to be there. food was good. there was something for everyone. rooms were cleaned every day. nightly entertainment theater was great. will go back forsure.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Fabulous first time visit to Cuba

Great location. Our room was lovely and staff were excellent!!! Lovely People! The food was for the most part very good. We loved the Market and used the fitness facility there. Fabulous white sand beach and the ocean view is amazing.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: An Excellent Place to Relax and Rejuvenate

I am one those people whom you would call a “workaholic”. Being at the Iberostar is one of the most enjoyable and relaxing experiences that I could have. The resort is so big and beautiful and clean. If you love to take a long walk or jog, this would be the place, as it would take over an hour to walk from one end to the other end. The Iberostar Ensenachos resort has 5 swimming pools and not just one, but two connecting beautiful longest beaches for you to enjoy. Each side of the beaches hav [... read more]e unique qualities to them. The first time we visited the resort, we spend most of our time at Mengano beach where we went snorkeling up to the sunken barge where there were colorful little fishes to see. There were also many star fishes on the Mengano side of the beach that you can pick up and look at. This year when we went back, we spent most of our time at the Ensenachos side of the beach because our room was situated on this end of the resort. Similar to the Mengano beach, the Ensenachos have the same extended long beach front. Here, there are many fishes that comes right up to the shore and nibble at your feet. It was unique experience to be able to stand in the ocean and see hundreds and thousands of fishes swimming around you. One thing to note: they do not have many snorkelling gears for you to use there so it is best if you bring your own. The place is so big that where ever you go, it does not seem crowded. We enjoy other facilities such as the gym, tennis court. They also have a spa there but I cannot comment on since I did not participate in the activity. The show they have there are quite good. The dancers were very professional. I would say the flamingo show that we went to see were comparable to the shows that I have seen at Casino Rama. I also noticed that there are great areas for kids to enjoy as well. Our room was big, clean and air-conditioned. The outlet in the room are all 220V so if you need to use your own electronic devise to bring a splitter. The food was decent. There appears to be a bit more flavor in our food. The resort has several restaurants. The ones that we dined at were the Italian, Asian, Mediterranean and of course the Buffet. If you love seafood, there is no shortage of that. The people were so nice. Every morning after our workout, we would walk along the path and the gardener would offer us a fresh coconut. We met several couples who have been there 4 times and some have been there 15 times and I can see that since we are there 2 times already and would likely go back there again.

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Amazing beach, but has issues.

The hotel grounds and resort itself is beautiful, the beach is amazing, soft powder sand and turquoise waters. The pools are stunning. Well kept and clean. Rooms are comfortable, nothing extravagant. Plenty of bottled water in rooms everyday, towels are plentiful. The butler service,which every guest receives, is a nice touch. Service in bars and restaurants is spotty at best. Breakfast seems to be the worst- flagging down a waiter for coffee is routine. Ordering from the menu will take time, so [... read more] stick with the buffet. Lunch - the grills by the pool and beach are your best bet. The dinner staff seemed to be more attentive. The quality of food can be an issue. Yes, it is Cuba- however, food should be properly cooked, seasoned and presented, regardless of what it is! many plates were returned by guests and much discussion. Perhaps there were chef issues. The beach bar staff is very good, bringing drinks and food right to your lounge chair, and with a smile. The lobby bar staff will pour a decent drink, just make sure you tip- may be a while otherwise until you are served.... Entertainment- this was the hi light of the trip- 1st rate talent!!! Only suggestion here- not enough places to sit for all guests to enjoy this comfortably. Overall the trip was enjoyable, but this resort certainly does not warrant the 5 star rating that they claim. Staff issues, attitude and the quality of food are areas that management need to address. Don't go for the food- Go for the beach and enjoy the surroundings.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Everything was up to my expectations

The flowers,vegetation and water features were very attractive. There were lots of choices in food and very attentive staff. in all areas. The evening entertainment was very professional except for a couple of night which used the guests doing crazy skits with one another.

Melia Las Dunas: The Best

Rooms were big, nice bathroom. Beds and pillow comfortable Complex kept very clean staff helpful and professional. Buffet amazing!! beautiful beach, swimming pools spotless a bit cool. Really enjoyed the entertainment!!

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Beautiful Resort - Starfish Cayo Santa Maria

Went to Starfish Cayo Santa Maria Nov 29-Dec 6. This is a lovely resort, very clean and very lush gardens. The rooms are large and well appointed. Weather was beautiful 25-30 degrees. This is a large resort with 1400 plus rooms, but as this was still the slow season, only half of the resort was open with only one of the a la carte restaurants which rotated the set menus each day . The pools were large and immaculate and the beach was white sand gorgeous. The buffet was fine, a typical Cuban reso [... read more]rt buffet with lots of choice and a good fresh grill section. The beach was white sand gorgeous and we were impressed with all the beautiful architectural design features that have been incorporated throughout the resort. The shows with the dancers were the best I have seen in my 10 trips to Cuba. There were virtually no activities and I missed not having Yoga, Tai Chi, etc. available, but again, probably a full slate is available in the busier times. If you don't mind the 1 1/2 hour drive from the airport, I highly recommend this resort. as excellent value. Jenn Black at Trip Central was excellent and very helpful.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: relaxing

Great place to relax and enjoy life. Friendly staff. Older guest which is great not too much noise or drunk 20 yr olds. Beach is nice and clean lots of chairs. Beach staff are amazing drinks kept flowing.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Awesome beach

Beach is the star for starfish resort. Highly recommend for this time of year. Resort is very large but only half open during off peak season. Wonderful staff. Linens and towels changed daily. Food typical for Cuba. Great bread pasta and pizza omelettes. Staff are amazing Great value for the price

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Great value

Resort was amazing . Pools were plentiful and clean. Beach was amazing . The food was ok and enough variety to keep you satisfied . Great value . The staff were very friendly and accommodating . The entertainment at night was very good. We had an amazing time and would recommend this resort to anyone that wants a great holiday that gives them a little of everything .

Melia Las Dunas: Needs some work

We had a great time even though there were a few problems with the resort. We saw quite a few cockroaches and one very large one in our room. The rooms were clean but everything was old and falling apart. The toilet seat was broken and removed but never replaced. There was no hot water one day and the next day there was no water at all. On the last day the air conditioning stopped working. The staff at the resort were great, especially the waiter at the buffet was very accommodating and helpful. [... read more] The beach was very narrow but we still managed to find a spot every time and the kids had a lot of fun at the beach and the kids pool. The mini club was OK but had very few toys and was not really equipped to leave the kids, we stayed with them every time while they played in the pool.

Valentin Perla Blanca: beautiful resort

This is a beautiful resort with plenty of amenities. The staff is incredible and very accommodating. I love that there was different beach areas within the same resort. Some days is was great to be on the "exciting" side of the beach with music and games, but it was also great to have quiet beach days as well. Food was good. As with most buffets there are always food temperature issues but there was plenty of stations to have selected menu items made fresh for you. fresh donuts daily was a nice [... read more] touch. A la carte restaurants were far better than expected. Every course at the three we went to were amazing.(Mexican, french and italian) The calamari at the Italian restaurant was among the best I've had anywhere. That is a big statement considering I'm Italian and have been to Italy almost a dozen times. Rooms were clean, bright and nicley decorated. Still cant figure out the purpose of the semi-frosted window between the bathroom and bedroom...lol The only negative statement I have is for the self righteous visitors from Quebec. I am a proud Canadian but was disgusted with not only the disrespect shown to other guests but also the way some of staff were treated. The sad part is with such a huge percentage of visitors going to Cuba from this Province, the staff assumes all Canadians have this level of arrogance. If this is the way you act in "real life", for the sake of everyone else that is trying to relax and enjoy their vacation, please pretend to be a normal functioning member of the human race.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Nice Resort, Great Customer Service

As a new resort in the area, Valentin Perla Blanca is very nice and modern. The grounds are beautifully kept and the rooms and common areas are clean and well taken care of. I was very impressed by the employees and their helpful attitude towards guests. When we first arrived at the resort it was quite late at night. We discovered that there was no water in our fridge. When we called the front desk it took only minutes before an entire pack of water bottles was delivered to our room. All in al [... read more]l, I was very impressed with the resort. It is a quieter resort however and I would not recommend it to individuals who are looking for a party spot, as it tends to cater more towards an older clientele looking for a relaxing vacation.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Nice Place to Stay in Cuba

The resort is located on a very nice beach. The rooms are okay nothing spectacular. Room is outdated but clean. The staff is cordial. The food was good and offered variety. My toilet was not working properly when I arrived. (It would flush on occasion) Called to have it fixed. The service was timely however, the problem still persisted during my stay even after a part was replaced. The resort is a nice place to stay when visiting Cuba.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Excellent resort with amazing staff

Very clean and beautiful pool. Staff was super friendly and very accommodating. Appreciated that Cayo Santa Maria has a check point and locals cannot access the resorts unless they are working a shift.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Great resort - better cuban food

Resort was good by cuban standards. We were in block 11 and had an ocean view room on the top level. Room was modern but sliding door did not close fully but we were not on ground level so not much of an issue. Blankets were musky and were quickly replaced when we complained to the dedicated customer service agent. My wife also requested a deep clean service and that was done promptly the next day. Food - breakfast and dinner buffets were the best i have had in cuba. Much better than varadero.  [... read more] Beach is amazing and pools were perfect. We were told the resort was at 20% occupancy which was great. There were alot of cuban locals staying at the resort. The kids show every evening was good and it engaged all the kids. Pachito was the best and the kids are still talking about him. The girl clown only spoke spanish which clearly only benefitted the spanish speaking tourists. Michael jackson show was good and similar to the one in varadero. We stayed for 7 nights in mid nov and had two days of rain. Other than that it was a great vacation. Airport is 1/2 to 2 hours away from resort so opt for a late flight out if possible. There were seven flights leaving santa clara and we spent 2 1/2 hours in line. We got through security in time to board the plane. The computer system is outdated and kept crashing. Book you return seats in advance to avoid being seperated. I would revisit this resort and will def be back to cayo santa maria.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Relaxing Vaction

The hotel is beautiful as in the pictures. Very spacious bedroom with king size bed. We asked for ocean view and recieved at first glance a bare garden,a swamp and in the far distance the ocean. The resort is very big with a lot of walking required. there are drivers/caddies thatcan drive u around if needed. Sunwing sides beach is much wider calmer and less rocky. If u are looking for a secluded area u r more apt to find then on the side of this hotel. Watch out for windsurfers who's equipment a [... read more]t times falls down hard on to the water where innocent aloof swimmers are. The tides were very rough at times as it is winter time now in cuba. The food was good. Not a wide selection of tropical fruits or vegetables. Untrained cooks at some stations. A little more flavor would be nice. Enjoyed the freshly grilled food that was prepared for me. The drinks were not the best but would do for the week or 2 u r there. Entertainment was ok something to do at night. Same with the disco. If u r looking to get away from everyone this is the place to go.

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Amazing beach, beautiful grounds!

If your looking for a quiet beautiful resort with the most amazing sand and beach the Royalton Cayo Santa Maria is the place for you! The staff is friendly and if your a return customer you will get the royal treatment. Unfortunately the food was a real disappointment, small portions no flavour in the dishes and very little in the way of variety. Two restaurants and a snack bar menu always the same. Also, very inconsistent with product that's on the menu..at every meal at least one of the items  [... read more]listed not available. Something as simple as orange juice in the morning was only available 3 of 7 mornings. They appeared short staffed at dinner we waited 45 mins one night for someone to take our food order. For such a lovely hotel it's not what you expect.

Melia Las Dunas: Love it here

It's the people I keep coming back to, the service is impecable. The workers remember you from past trips and it seems that they go out of their way to make you feel even more comfortable. Shout outs to all of them, way too many to list

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Wow!

Where to begin.... Well, this newer resort offers all one needs for utmost comfort and pleasure. The architecture was very pleasing and carries throughout the resort. The grounds keepers appear to never sleep as they are always on the run keeping the resort clean. Room cleaning was very well. We noticed they take the whole room apart between visitors; a full cleaning. Our room was a fair walk from the lobby but golf cart service was available if needed. The beach.... by far the nicest we've seen [... read more]! Clean and very wavy at times (we like that!) The only negative was the long causeway to get to the island resort, but we made the best of it. A MUST-try Cuban destination!